Evangel University leads Columbia College 46-28 in second half

The Second-Half Momentum Shift

As the clock ticked down to the 20-minute mark, the game's rhythm accelerated through a flurry of substitutions and trips to the free-throw line. Clayton Garrison wasted no time making an impact, sinking consecutive fastbreak free throws to push the score to 35-25, followed quickly by another pair from Harrison Doennig that widened the gap to 37-25.

The defensive intensity ramped up immediately. Fleming fought for his own miss to grab an offensive rebound before sinking a layup at the 17:15 mark, cutting the deficit to 37-28 with an assist credited to Danny Garza. Yet, the steady parade of fouls kept the scoreboard ticking. Garrison and Cade Sutton traded successful free throws as the referee’s whistle frequently interrupted the flow of play.

Defensive Stops and Turning Points

Midway through the second half, both teams traded blocks and turnovers that highlighted the gritty nature of the matchup. Reese Minnix rejected a jumper from Garrison, while Harrison Doennig later returned the favor with a block against Danny Garza’s layup attempt at the 16:31 mark.

Columbia vs Evangel Men's Basketball – October 27, 2026

Cole Griesemer provided a spark off the bench for Evangel. After a turnover stalled an earlier possession, Griesemer capitalized inside with a jump shot assisted by Tommy Pinegar, stretching the lead to 42-28 with just over fourteen minutes remaining on the game clock.

Fastbreak Execution and Final Stretch

The pace exploded when Akar Staten-Ballance took over the floor for Evangel. Staten-Ballance sank a jumper off a Griesemer assist, then followed up with a fastbreak layup ignited by a steal from Doennig, pushing the advantage out to 46-28 and forcing a rapid 30-second timeout from the bench.

Despite persistent efforts from Fleming and Garza to generate second-chance opportunities, Evangel's defensive rebounding—anchored by Pinegar and Sutton—extinguished multiple scoring threats as the clock wound down toward the media timeout.